Gas-ptjbieyibtg apparatus



H. L. PEARCE.

GAS PURIFYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 050.12. 1913.

4Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

HERBERT L. PEARCE, OF NICKLEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-PURIFYING APPARATUS.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Aung 8, i916.

Application led December 12, 1913. Serial No. 806,294. i

To all rwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT L. PnAnon, i

a citizen of the United States, residing at Nicklevillain the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas- Purifying Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the f ollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use thev same.

rIhis invention relates to improvements in separating apparatus, and more particularly to such as are especially adapted for removing aqueous fluids from natural gas.

The object in view is the effective separation of liquid from natural gas for supplying a perfectly dry gas in a manner designed to prevent freezing or other processes tending to interfere with the discharge of the gas, and at the same time to provide against loss of gas with the discharge of the liquid. Y

`With this and other objects in view, as will in part hereinafter become obvious and in part be stated, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, as subsequently specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the features of the present invention, parts being shown in section for disclosing interior structure, and the apparatus being indicated as located in operative position with the surrounding earth shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof.

' Referring to the drawing bv numerals` l indicates an ordinary gas well, and 2, the discharge pipe therefor. A stand-pipe or container 3 is embedded in the ground for the greater portion of its length, and is preferablv provided with an enlargement Ll, which may be in the forni of any ordinary container, or merely a horizontal extension of the pipe or tube comprising the stand pipe 3. Adjacent to the upper end of the pipe 3, said pipe is provided with a T-connection, forming a discharge opening with which communicates the discharge pipe 5, the pipe 5 being preferably of substantially the same diameter as that of the pipe 3, or at least of a relatively large diameter, and being disposed in such relation to its connection with the pipe 3 as to insure effective drainage ofany moisture collecting in pipe 5 back into the pipe 3. The T-connection of pipe 3 has its walls forming the opening communicating with pipe 5 preferably rounded, so as to facilitate such back drainage. The pipe 5 is provided with a laterally or otherwise appropriately disposed portion connecting with a service pipe 6, into which it discharges for delivering gas to the consumers. A relatively small pipe 7 extends substantially throughout the length of the pipe 3 to a point adjacent the lowermost portion thereof, or of the enlargement or container' 4l, the said pipe 7 extending upwardly through the upper end of the pipe 3, which end, of course, is closed by anappropriate cap.` The pipe extends to a point appropriate for discharge, and is provided with a valve 8 Vadapted to control discharge through the pipe 7. The pipe 2 is preferably located for having its outer terminal portion extend downwardly through the cap of pipe 3, `and downwardly in the pipe 3 past the T-connection with pipe 5, so as to have its lower end below the line of discharge through pipe 5.

In operation, the gas escaping from pipe 2 discharges downwardly into the tube 3, and the water in the gas naturally is dropped by gravity into container i, and pipe 3, while the gas rises, and, passing upwardly along the lower end portion of pipe 3, enters pipe 5 and is discharged therefrom into the pipe 6, to be delivered therefrom to the point or points of consumption. It is to be particularly noted that the water in the gas is afforded repeated opportunities for separation by gravitation and whatever water may accompany the gas back up through pipe 3 to the pipe 5 will settle by gravity along the pipe 5 and will flow back through pipe 5 into pipe 3. I am thus not only able to obtain substantially dry gas discharging through pipe 6, but I avoid freezing up of the pipe 5 such as occurs with the ordinary pipe line. That is to say, it has been proposed to eliminate water from natural gas by various means, but difficulty has been experienced from the fact that the moisture contained in the flowing gas has frozen during low temperatures along all parts of the gas pipe, and frequently the frost thus produced on the walls of the gas pipe, has thickened to an extent materially restricting the discharge of gas, and sometimes even actually entirely stopping the discharge. This condition is obviated in the present structure by the facts that the gas is substantially dry before it enters pipe 5, the drainage of pipe 5 is perfect back into the container 3, and the pipe 5 is of a sufficiently greater diameter than pipes 2 and 6 to afford commodious conduit, even if a coating of frost or ice should form along the lowermost portion of the pipe 5. After the apparatus has been operating for a su'licient length of time for the liquid to lill the enlargement and pipe3 suiliciently to require emptying, it is only necessary to open the valve S, whereupon, the pressure of the gas acting on the upper surface of the water within pipe 3, will cause the rapid discharge thereof through the tube 7, and this discharge is permitted to continue until the beginning of the escape of gas indicates that the pipe 3 and its enlargement or tank i are empty, and thereupon the valve 8 is closed.

lVhat I claim is l. In a device of the class described, the combination of a horizontal and a vertical pipe of similar enlarged diameter in communication and forming a liquid chamber, the horizontal pipe being embedded in protecting material at a depth beyond the area of freezing, a cap closing the upper end of the vertical "pipe, a laterally extending gas discharge pipe communicating with the vertical pipe, the said laterally extending pipe extending being of substantially the same diameter as the vertical and horizontal pipes, a gas supply pipe adapted to co-mmunicate with a natural gas well, the said gas pipe extending downward through the cap and axially into the vertical pipe and longitudinally thereof beyond the discharge pipe, a water discharge pipe arranged within the vertical pipe and substantially throughout the length thereof and through the cap to a point beyond the vertical pipe, a controlling valve for the water discharge pipe outside of the vertical pipe, and a gas discharge pipe communicating with the lateral pipe and of less diameter than said lateral pipe.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a horizontal and a vertical pipe of similar enlarged diameter in communication and forming a liquid chamber, the horizontal pipe being embedded in protecting material at a depth beyond the area of freezing, a cap closing the upper end of the vertical pipe, a. laterally extending gas discharge pipe communicating with the vertical pipe, the said laterally extending pipe being of substantially the same diameter as the vertical and horizontal pipes, a gas supply pipe adapted to communicate with a natural gas well, the said gas pipe extending downward through the cap and axially into the vertical pipe and longitudinally thereof beyond the discharge pipe, a water discharge pipe arranged within the vertical pipe and extending substantially throughout the length thereof and through the cap to a point beyond the vertical pipe, a controlling valve for the water discharge pipe outside of the vertical pipe, and a gas discharge pipe communicating with the lateral pipe and of less diameter than said lateral pipe, the said lateral pipe extending on an upward incline away from the vertical pipe and being thence extended at substantially right angles also on an upward incline to the point of communication of the gas discharge pipe.

3. In combination with a gas supply pipe disposed to discharge downwardly, of a stand pipe inclosing the discharge portion of said gas supply pipe, said stand pipe having an enlarged discharge opening at its upper portion above the discharge end of the gas supply pipe, an enlarged gas supply pipe communicating with said discharge opening for receiving the discharge therefrom, the last named pipe being disposed to drain back into the discharge opening, a service pipe connecting with and leading from the enlarged discharge pipe, the service pipe being relatively small with respect to said discharge pipe, a liquid discharge pipe extending from a point below the liquid level of the stand pipe, and extending upwardly through the upper end thereof, and a valve outside of the stand pipe for controlling discharge through the liquid discharge pipe.

4. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a stand pipe embedded in protecting material and having an enlarged container at its lower portion communicating with the stand pipe, the upper portion of the stand pipe having an enlarged discharge opening, a discharge pipe communicating with the opening and disposed to drain back into the stand pipe, a service pipe communicating with the enlarged discharge pipe, a gas supply pipe extending downwardly longitudinally of the stand pipe from a point above the same to a point beneath the discharge opening within the stand pipe, and a fluid discharge pipe extending from a point beneath the liquid level of the stand pipe through the upper portion thereof to a point of discharge and having means for controlling the discharge therefrom.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturn in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT L. PEA RCE.

Witnesses:

II. J. NICKLE, Bannion N. PEARCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. C. 

